To see if Laura’s Executive Presence Mastery System 90-day coaching intensive is right for you, set up a strategy call here.

🎄 Welcome to the Speak Up 12 Days of Christmas… where I give you 12 tiny but mighty tips from December 25 through January 5 to help you create big executive presence today so you get recognized for your contributions in 2026 and today is Day 5.

Here’s something many smart professionals miss:

Competence will get you respect, but appreciation earns you loyalty.

Sincere words of appreciation appreciation have this impact on others:

🧠 People feel seen, not judged

❤️ Relationships deepen without effort

🚀 Performance improves without pressure

This simple sentence turns you into the kind of leader people want to support, collaborate with, and go the extra mile for.

🎁 Tomorrow’s gift is how to leverage your innate curiosity to be your holiday superpower.

To learn more visit www.speakupwithlaura.com. New Speak Up podcast episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday early in the morning.

In Speak Up communication and executive presence coaching, high performing leaders and executives learn to enhance their influence and confidence, refining their communication style to increase visibility and effectiveness in promotion opportunities.

By honing communication skills and fostering a trusted advisor mindset, aspiring executives cultivate mastery in public speaking and beat imposter syndrome. Your leadership becomes more strategic and inspiring.

To see if Laura’s Executive Presence Mastery System 90-day coaching intensive is right for you, set up a strategy call here.

🎄 Welcome to the Speak Up 12 Days of Christmas… where I give you 12 tiny but mighty tips from December 25 through January 6 to help you create big executive presence today so you get recognized for your contributions in 2026 and today is Day 4.

Here’s a subtle secret of executive presence:

Language shapes perception.

And small wording choices reveal whether you’re a reactor or a leader.

🎁 Tomorrow we unwrap Five words of appreciation that build loyalty.

To learn more visit www.speakupwithlaura.com. New Speak Up podcast episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday early in the morning.

In Speak Up communication and executive presence coaching, high performing leaders and executives learn to enhance their influence and confidence, refining their communication style to increase visibility and effectiveness in promotion opportunities.

By honing communication skills and fostering a trusted advisor mindset, aspiring executives cultivate mastery in public speaking and beat imposter syndrome. Your leadership becomes more strategic and inspiring.

To see if Laura’s Executive Presence Mastery System 90-day coaching intensive is right for you, set up a strategy call here.

🎄 Welcome to the Speak Up 12 Days of Christmas… where I give you 12 tiny but mighty tips from December 25 through January 6 to help you create big executive presence today so you get recognized for your contributions in 2026 and today is Day 3.

Here’s something most people never notice: the leaders you admire don’t rush their words. They let silence work for them. Just three seconds does four things for you instantly:

🧠 Clarity — you choose your words instead of reacting

🪶 Composure — you sound confident instead of frantic

👑 Authority — people lean in because you’re intentional

📌 Memorability — your words land with weight

To learn more visit www.speakupwithlaura.com. New Speak Up podcast episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday early in the morning.

In Speak Up communication and executive presence coaching, high performing leaders and executives learn to enhance their influence and confidence, refining their communication style to increase visibility and effectiveness in promotion opportunities.

By honing communication skills and fostering a trusted advisor mindset, aspiring executives cultivate mastery in public speaking and beat imposter syndrome. Your leadership becomes more strategic and inspiring.

To see if Laura’s Executive Presence Mastery System 90-day coaching intensive is right for you, set up a strategy call here.

🎄 Welcome to the Speak Up 12 Days of Christmas… where I give you 12 tiny but mighty tips from December 25 through January 6 to help you create big executive presence today so you get recognized for your contributions in 2026 and today is Day 2.

Your eyes speak before your words do, so the question is: what exactly should they say?

Today’s micro-moment builds:

🤝 Instant rapport

🔐 Subconscious trust

📌 A memorable presence that doesn’t need to perform

✨ Two seconds of authentic eye contact can create a reputation that lasts years. Tomorrow we’ll unwrap another simple behavior you can use at dinner tables, office parties, team meetings, or your next big presentation.

To learn more visit www.speakupwithlaura.com. New Speak Up podcast episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday early in the morning.

In Speak Up communication and executive presence coaching, high performing leaders and executives learn to enhance their influence and confidence, refining their communication style to increase visibility and effectiveness in promotion opportunities.

By honing communication skills and fostering a trusted advisor mindset, aspiring executives cultivate mastery in public speaking and beat imposter syndrome. Your leadership becomes more strategic and inspiring.

To see if Laura’s Executive Presence Mastery System 90-day coaching intensive is right for you, set up a strategy call here.

🎄 Welcome to the Speak Up 12 Days of Christmas… where I give you 12 tiny but mighty tips from December 25 through January 6 to help you create big executive presence today so you get recognized for your contributions in 2026 and today is Day 1.

So if you’re ready to stop blending in and start standing out… let’s unwrap your first gift.

Today’s gift is small, but it instantly elevates how you are perceived in conversations, meetings, and holiday gatherings:

What you do with your phone.

✨ True presence is undivided attention — and attention builds trust faster than talent. Have a blessed day and tomorrow we’ll unwrap another simple behavior you can use at dinner tables, office parties, team meetings, or your next big presentation.

To learn more visit www.speakupwithlaura.com. New Speak Up podcast episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday early in the morning.

In Speak Up communication and executive presence coaching, high performing leaders and executives learn to enhance their influence and confidence, refining their communication style to increase visibility and effectiveness in promotion opportunities.

By honing communication skills and fostering a trusted advisor mindset, aspiring executives cultivate mastery in public speaking and beat imposter syndrome. Your leadership becomes more strategic and inspiring.

If you ever nailed your message in a meeting—but still walked away feeling overlooked or dismissed it might not be what you’re saying, but how your body is saying it.

In this episode, Dr. Stephen Furlich, author of Nonverbal Epiphany, breaks down the silent signals that make or break your executive presence. Whether you're aiming for the C-suite, pitching ideas, or navigating workplace politics, your nonverbal communication may be working against you—or unlocking your next big opportunity.

By the end of today’s episode you’ll know:

💪How to use body language to instantly project power and confidence in meetings.

🏆Scientifically-backed ways to spot deception, power plays, and hidden cues.

🧩Practical adjustments you can make today—like posture, hand gestures, and walking speed—to feel more in control and be perceived that way too.

If you’re ready to command the room and communicate leadership without saying a word, hit play on this episode now and start mastering the science of executive presence.

If you’ve been showing up to work every day delivering results but still getting passed over for senior leadership roles, it might not be your résumé—it might be your presence. And it’s painful to know you have the skills but still not be perceived as “executive enough.”

That’s why Laura created our Executive Presence Scorecard—to help leaders-in-the-making assess their body language, vocal tone, and energy with the influence they’re ready to own.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a fantastic New Year to you all!

To get access to the Executive Presence Scorecard simply email me at [email protected] and put “score” in the subject line.

To learn more visit www.speakupwithlaura.com. New Speak Up podcast episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday early in the morning.

About our guest:

Dr. Stephen Furlich is an associate professor of communication studies at Texas A&M University-Commerce, his bestselling book Nonverbal Epiphany, and his research on human behaviors—focusing on actionable insights for improving how we "speak up" through body language, while inviting personal stories to connect.

Dr. Furlich’s most recent research interest is exploring the role of biology and communication. His perspective is that only focusing on social influences limits understanding. One's biology influences their communication and their communication influences their biological reactions.

Dr. Furlich has published two books, both of which were Amazon’s #1 bestsellers in their respective categories. Additionally, he has presented his research on national television, national radio and national podcasts. In his free time, he enjoys working out, watching sports, traveling and reading to learn more about human behaviors, spirituality and Christianity.

Get your copy of Nonverbal Epiphany today.

In Speak Up communication and executive presence coaching, high performing leaders and executives learn to enhance their influence and confidence, refining their communication style to increase visibility and effectiveness in promotion opportunities.

By honing communication skills and fostering a trusted advisor mindset, aspiring executives cultivate mastery in public speaking and beat imposter syndrome. Your leadership becomes more strategic and inspiring.

To see if Laura’s Executive Presence Mastery System 90-day coaching intensive is right for you, set up a strategy call here.

Ever felt like you don’t quite belong in senior leadership because of where you’re from?

If you grew up outside elite networks or prestigious backgrounds, you might be unintentionally shrinking in high-stakes settings—despite your competence. This episode dives into why smart, driven professionals stay invisible and what it truly costs them.

By the end of today’s episode you’ll know:

🔥Why self-silencing habits are blocking your path to leadership roles.

🦄How to leverage your roots and authenticity into real professional impact.

🧲You can be inspired by real leaders from modest beginnings who’ve shattered the C-Suite glass ceiling.

Listen now to learn how to transform your background into a leadership asset that commands presence, respect, and promotion.

Because executive presence isn't about being flashy. It's about being felt. Even when you're not in the room.

So if you’re listening to this and thinking, "That’s me..."

If your performance is there, but your presence is missing...

And you’re ready to stop shrinking and start showing up...

Then book a strategy call.

There’s a link in the show notes at the top or visit SpeakUpWithLaura.com/speakup

To learn more visit www.speakupwithlaura.com. New Speak Up podcast episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday early in the morning.

In Speak Up communication and executive presence coaching, high performing leaders and executives learn to enhance their influence and confidence, refining their communication style to increase visibility and effectiveness in promotion opportunities.

By honing communication skills and fostering a trusted advisor mindset, aspiring executives cultivate mastery in public speaking and beat imposter syndrome. Your leadership becomes more strategic and inspiring.

Name Brand CEOs From Modest Backgrounds:

(source Wikipedia.org)

Tim Cook (CEO, Apple)

Born in Mobile, Alabama — raised in small Robertsdale, AL. His parents worked blue‑collar jobs (shipyard worker / pharmacy). (Wikipedia)

Sam Walton (Founder, Walmart / Sam’s Club)

Born in Kingfisher, Oklahoma — came from a modest rural background before building Walmart into a global retail empire. (Wikipedia)

B. Kevin Turner (Former COO, Microsoft; senior executive at Walmart)

Began as a store cashier in his hometown (small-town roots) and rose through ranks to a top‑leadership role. (Wikipedia)

Howard Schultz (Former CEO/Chairman, Starbucks)

Raised in a low-income housing project — humble urban roots rather than elite upbringing; built Starbucks from modest beginnings into a global brand. (Wikipedia)

John Paul DeJoria (Co‑founder, John Paul Mitchell Systems & Patrón Spirits)

Started with extreme financial hardship, reportedly once lived in his car — classic “from nothing to something” story often cited in entrepreneurship lore. (Scribd)

Stew Leonard Jr. (President/CEO, Stew Leonard's grocery chain)

Comes from a family business rooted in dairy/farming — modest roots and built a regional business into sustained success. (Wikipedia)

Sandra Day O’Connor (example of modest‑upbringing + leadership — U.S. Supreme Court, not corporate)

Raised on a cattle ranch in rural Arizona, learned self-reliance and hard work from an early age, later became first female U.S. Supreme Court Justice. (Note: illustrating beyond corporate — shows small‑town/rural → high leadership across domains.)

Jeff Bezos (small town / modest roots to global scale)

Grew up with modest means; his mother was a teenage mother; Bezos’ early life wasn’t “privileged elite,” showing even global‑scale founder can come from humble start.

Oprah Winfrey (media/entrepreneur example)

Born in rural Mississippi, raised in poverty — her rise to global media influence shows humble beginnings don’t limit potential.

Elon Musk (not small‑town in U.S., but modest immigrant‑to‑wealth arc)

Came from more modest beginnings relative to his later wealth and status — illustrates immigrant/modest‑upbringing success story from technical/entrepreneurial angle.

Jan Koum (co‑founder of WhatsApp)

Immigrated to U.S. in a working‑class family, early life marked by modest means — yet rose to create a globally‑used messaging platform.

Indra Nooyi (former CEO, PepsiCo)

Grew up in suburban middle‑class India (not elite), navigated cultural & economic constraints to rise to global leadership — example of non‑privileged origin + corporate success.

Ursula Burns (former CEO, Xerox)

Raised in a housing project in New York public housing; first Black woman to lead a Fortune 500 — a powerful example of humble roots to corporate leadership.

Mary Barra (CEO, General Motors)

Middle‑class upbringing, first in family to go to college — shows upward mobility for people without elite pedigree.

To see if Laura’s Executive Presence Mastery System 90-day coaching intensive is right for you, set up a strategy call here.

Are you tired of being seen as competent but not memorable in high-stakes meetings — especially when you know you bring strategic value?

In today’s episode you’ll learn an executive-presence secret almost nobody teaches in corporate.

Most high-performing introverts unknowingly fall into a communication trap: they’re too predictable. Today’s episode reveals how adding one touch of the unexpected — what host Laura Camacho calls a “Wrong Shoe Moment” — can immediately elevate your presence, make senior leaders lean in, and get your ideas remembered.              

By the end of today’s episode you’ll know:

🔬The neuroscience behind why “unexpected” equals smart and confident.

🔥Real-world examples of Wrong Shoe Moments you can use today — even if you're not loud or extroverted.

🎯A simple formula to create unforgettable executive communication without being performative or adding more energy.

Listen now to learn how one surprising phrase can change how senior executives perceive you — and start communicating with the presence you’ve already earned.

Here’s the scoop on Allison Bornstein.

If you want to learn how to consistently communicate like a senior leader — with clarity, structure, confidence, and strategic elegance — I’d love to support you.

Want to see where your executive communication REALLY stands?

Take the Executive Presence Scorecard — a 3-minute diagnostic that reveals the exact behaviors holding you back (and the ones moving you forward).

👉 Email me at [email protected] with “score” in the subject line and I’ll get you the link to that assessment.

To learn more visit www.speakupwithlaura.com. New Speak Up episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday early in the morning.

In Speak Up communication and executive presence coaching, high performing leaders and executives learn to enhance their influence and confidence, refining their communication style to increase visibility and effectiveness in promotion opportunities. 

By honing communication skills and fostering a trusted advisor mindset, aspiring executives cultivate mastery in public speaking and beat imposter syndrome. Your leadership becomes more strategic and inspiring.

To see if Laura’s Executive Presence Mastery System 90-day coaching intensive is right for you, set up a strategy call here.  

Here’s a truth that still surprises even the highest-performing introverts who listen to this show: You can be brilliant at your job… and still be playing way below your potential simply because you haven’t learned how to develop that executive communication skill set.

In this 500th episode celebration, I’m sharing the top 3 transformational executive presence breakthroughs that have helped high-performing introverts stop being overlooked and start being seen as indispensable strategic leaders — without changing their personality or pretending to be someone they’re not.

By the end of this 500th episode you’ll know:

🚀Why your real job far exceeds simply delivering excellent outcomes.

🏆How to clearly signal your unique value, even if you’re quiet or self-doubting.

🎄The overlooked communication tools that make your insights memorable and actionable.

Press play now to learn how to step into your next level of leadership by changing how — not who — you communicate.

And heads up next week I’ve got a special holiday gift for you. This 12 Days of Christmas holiday mini-series is your fast, festive boost of charisma — designed for busy, brilliant leaders who don’t have time for long podcasts.

Each episode in the Speak Up 12 Days of Christmas is less than five minutes and gives you:

✨ One tiny habit you can use immediately

🎁 The exact words or actions to try

💥 And how it elevates your presence, your credibility, and your influence

Presence isn’t built in rehearsals — it’s built in everyday moments.

To learn more visit www.speakupwithlaura.com. New Speak Up podcast episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday early in the morning.

In Speak Up communication and executive presence coaching, high performing leaders and executives learn to enhance their influence and confidence, refining their communication style to increase visibility and effectiveness in promotion opportunities. 

By honing communication skills and fostering a trusted advisor mindset, aspiring executives cultivate mastery in public speaking and beat imposter syndrome. Your leadership becomes more strategic and inspiring.

To see if Laura’s Executive Presence Mastery System 90-day coaching intensive is right for you, set up a strategy call here.                                                                                              

If your boss says you’re doing amazing and always relies on you for the complicated problems—but you’re still not seen as a trusted strategic voice in the room—this episode is your wake-up call. 

By the end of today’s episode you’ll know: 

🚀Why being the "Go-To” problem solver might actually be holding you back

🎯What’s really keeping you from being trusted with bigger decisions

🏆The invisible skillset you must build to break through the senior leadership ceiling

If you’re done playing small in meetings and ready to be seen as a strategic voice in the room, head to the link at the top of these show notes (or visit the website at www.speakupwithlaura.com/speakup) and book a call.

Let’s close the gap between how good you are and how you’re perceived.

If you’re someone who shows up strong with your team and even thrives in public speaking—but then freezes up or fades into the background when you're in the room with senior execs—and later regrets not speaking up or being remembered…

That’s why we created the Executive Presence Mastery System—to help you build confidence and clarity around those exact moments. You don’t need to change your personality. You just need a strategy that sends the right leadership signals—your way.

So if you’re tired of not being top-of-mind for promotions or stretch opportunities, go to the top of these show notes or head to SpeakUpWithLaura.com/speakup, and find a time to talk. I’ll walk you through how this system helps high-performing introverts create influence without being loud.

To learn more visit www.speakupwithlaura.com. New Speak Up podcast episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday early in the morning.

Research cited in this episode:

1. Soft Skills & Leadership Advancement
2. “Soft Skill Development: The Human Skills Needed for Success at Every Leader Level”
3. Center for Creative Leadership
4. Impact of Communication on Leadership Perception
5. “Effective Communication Results in Effective Leadership”
6. ResearchGate
7. Promotion Rates Tied to Communication Skills
8. “Soft Skills Tied to Faster Promotions”
9. LinkedIn Talent Blog
10. Soft Skills as 'Power Skills'
11. “Soft Skills Are the New Power Skills”
12. University of Colorado
13. Clarity & Executive Presence in Leadership
14. “Leadership Soft Skills and Career Success”
15. PMC Journal

In Speak Up communication and executive presence coaching, high performing leaders and executives learn to enhance their influence and confidence, refining their communication style to increase visibility and effectiveness in promotion opportunities. 

By honing communication skills and fostering a trusted advisor mindset, aspiring executives cultivate mastery in public speaking and beat imposter syndrome. Your leadership becomes more strategic and inspiring.